FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 24, 2017
Attorney General contact: James Hallinan, (505) 660-2216
LCPD contact: Dan Trujillo, (575) 636-5639
Sheriff’s Office contact: Kelly Jameson, (575) 386-4302
District Attorney contact: Damien Willis, (575) 915-5954
New Mexico agencies are partnering with the DEA on national drug takeback effort
Unified Prevention Coalition will be providing prevention information and products at drop off locations
Las Cruces, NM – This morning, Attorney General Hector Balderas, Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima, Doña Ana County Sheriff Enrique “Kiki” Vigil and Third Judicial District Attorney Mark D’Antonio announced their agencies’ partnership with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) for National Prescription Drug Tack-Back Day on Saturday, October 28 from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. The officials are urging Doña Ana County residents to take advantage of this free, confidential service that helps keep dangerous drugs like opioids out of the hands of our children, and keeps our water supply and environment safe from improper disposals. Residents are encouraged to drop off expired, unused or unwanted prescription drugs – in pill or patch form – during the event.
“Working with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners we can keep opioids out of the hands of our children, and prevent dangerous chemicals from entering our water supply, but we need the public’s assistance,” said Attorney General Hector Balderas. “I am urging all Doña Ana County residents to take advantage of this free, confidential prescription drug disposal on Saturday.”
Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima said, “Drug take-back locations are a safe and responsible place for residents to dispose of prescriptions and controlled substances. This event is a great opportunity for the public who may have, over time, gathered these drugs and may not be aware or the proper disposal practices.”
“This program is the best, most proactive way to ensure dangerous drugs are kept off the streets and out of our children’s hands,” said Doña Ana County Sheriff Enrique “Kiki” Vigil. “We’ve had a drug take-back receptacle in the sheriff’s office for over a year now, and it’s been very successful, but not necessarily accessible to everyone in Doña Ana County. Programs like the one our law enforcement partners work so hard on make it that much more convenient to safely dispose of these dangerous narcotics.”
“Prescription drug take-back programs like this one play a critical role in getting ahead of the fight against our state’s ongoing opioid crisis,” added Third Judicial District Attorney Mark D’Antonio. “Take-back events are important because they get rightfully-prescribed but unused prescriptions out of medicine cabinets, where they pose the risk of falling into the wrong hands and ending up on the streets. We stand with the Attorney General’s Office and our law enforcement partners across Doña Ana County in support of this important program.”
“Unified Prevention Coalition will be supporting all take-back sites to turn drop off locations into a community involvement and outreach event, providing prevention information and products,” said Marisol Diaz, UP! Coalition Program Manager.
See below for a full list of Prescription Take-Back Locations for Saturday, October 28, 2017:
NMAG Office of the Attorney General 201 N. Church Street, Las Cruces, NM 88001
LCPD Walmart Supercenter, 571 Walton Blvd., Las Cruces, NM 88001
LCPD Walmart Supercenter, 3331 Rinconada Blvd., Las Cruces, NM 88011
LCPD Walmart Market, 151 N. Sonoma Ranch Blvd., Las Cruces, NM 88011
DASO Albertson’s 2551 E. Lohman Avenue, Las Cruces, NM 88011
DASO Sam’s Club, 2711 N. Telshor Blvd., Las Cruces, NM 88011
DASO Walmart, 1550 S. Valley Drive, Las Cruces, NM 88005
DEA Mesilla Municipal Court, 2231 Avenida de Mesilla, Mesilla, NM 88046
DEA Branigan Library, 200 E. Picacho Avenue, Las Cruces, NM 88001
DEA Dublin’s, 1745 E. University Avenue, Las Cruces, NM
NMSP State Police Building, 4055 Sonoma Ranch Blvd., Las Cruces, NM 88011
HPD Hatch Police Department, #5 Chile Capital Lane, Hatch, NM 87937
The take-back initiative addresses vital public safety and health issues. Unused and outdated medications are susceptible to misuse or abuse, and can result in accidental poisonings and overdoses. Traditional methods of disposing unused medications, such as throwing prescription drugs in the trash or flushing them down a toilet, can pose safety and health hazards.
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